


the home you carry with you

by enamis



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Emotional Constipation, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Goodbyes, Hurt/Comfort, Melancholy, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Oneshot, Parental Love, Party, Post-Series, Sad, Tearjerker, Things Unsaid, and a lot of implications, my goal is to hurt your lil hearts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-22 22:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23268262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enamis/pseuds/enamis
Summary: Luz has to go back to the human word. Her friends throw her a party. Eda pretends to not care.
Relationships: Amity Blight & Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda, King & Luz Noceda, Luz Noceda & Everyone
Comments: 13
Kudos: 229





	the home you carry with you

**Author's Note:**

> just so you know this was written around episode 10~

The party popper went off right before her eyes, but Luz was not phased. She twirled through the front door and into the Owl House, beaming smile on her face. The foyer had been fully decked, streamers and flowers and tables of food, chests of magic junk and boxes of gifts strewn all around, classical music playing from a beat up human jukebox. Confetti strewn in clumps and piles with glitter filling the carpets and gaps in the floorboards. A huge, scribbley, glowing and neon banner stretched halfway across the room reading:

_‘HAPPY GOING AWAY PARTY’_

Perhaps the Isle’s residents hadn't entirely gotten the hang of the particulars of humanlike festivities. Not that Luz was complaining as Willow and Gus let out some indiscernible cheer and glomped her, nearly bringing the three crashing to the ground.

There were over two dozen people gathered around, filling the seating, and the air with warmth and chatter, their attentions turning to the human of the hour. Luz couldn't even imagine the favours her friends had to promise the homeowner for even the chance to put this party together.

The human took it all in, savoring every sight she could.

Today was her last day in the Boiling Isles, after all.

Summer was over.

And she was oddly fine with it.

She strolled across the foyer, greeting everyone she could, every familiar and friendly face she’d met in her numerous adventures in these few months. She chattered and laughed and kept going back for the mini cupcakes every other sentence. They all wished her well, even if most didn't understand the how’s or why’s of her departure. She couldn't blame them.

The hours passed in a blur of motion. Of singing and dancing and magic. And she couldn't have been happier when it all ended. With the last of the guests gotten pushed out the door by Hooty it was finally only her closest friends left.

They spent the rest of the evening cleaning up. King polished off the snack table as Amity’s abominations did most of the work, while Gus and Willow struggled to get the streamers to come out the light fixtures before they caught fire, Eda appearing only once to complain about the mess.

With the trash piled and shoved out the door the four of them they took over the kitchen and somehow managed to make pancakes without burning Hooty down. Though they came pretty close a few times.

Amity told the best stories, catching Luz up on the last bits of happenstance she was going to miss amidst her and Willow giggling about some old story from their youth they failed to properly retell. Gus was scribbling down answers to the last few burning questions about humans he had yet to draw out of Luz.

Their chatter having died down and the kids happily simmering in a post-snack glow Luz took a moment to bring a plate up a few floors.

“Hey you.” Luz softly called out, sticking her head through Eda’s bedroom door, messier than usual messy. The woman, her back to the door, jumped, startled, the parchments in her hands involuntarily sent sailing to the far wall. She snapped her head around so fast Luz was worried it was going to fall off again, delivering a narrow-eyed glare.

“So are you brats done cleaning? Cuz you aint’ going anywhere until my house is spotless.” Eda snipped in her usual tone, crawling across to the other side of her nest-bed, closer to the door.

“More spotless than when I got here!” Luz cheekily retorted, setting the pancakes down on the cupboard by the door.

“Good!” Eda happily replied.

There was a pause.

“Are you going to be okay?” Luz asked out of the blue.

“Eh? What are you talking about?”

“Well yaknow, with the-” The human hesitated. “The house!” Her tone shifting suddenly. “Are you gonna be okay, now that so many people know where you are? I mean they're, like, my friends, but you know how careless people can be with-”

“Yeah, yeah, don't worry you little big head about out.” Eda waved her off. “I am a master criminal after all.” The woman grinned. “That and I'm sick of living on this cliffside, so I already got a nice, fresh, new spot picked out for Hooty.”

She fanned out her hands in a showmanlike manner.

_“Waterfalls~”_

That managed to get Luz giggling, distracting her long enough for Eda to stroll up to her, grab her shoulders and effortlessly push the girl into the hallway.

“Quit worrying' bout my living arrangements and go back to whatever fun things the youths do.”

“We’re gonna hang out on the roof!” Luz raised a finger in clarification.

“Good, good, don't fall off and break your neck.” Eda added before slamming the door to her bedroom. Luz lingered long enough to hear the sounds of pancakes being swallowed whole.

Just as promised, Hooty carried the kids atop him to a slope overlooking the ocean, his lights going dark as to not obscure the brilliance of the sunset painting the world every shade of crimson.

They watched in silence as the sky turned, words needless to the company of one another. The lonely moments spent together were always worth more.

Clouds of lightning bugs rose up from the cover of the treeline, the darkness blending earth and sky to one, leaving the house seemingly floating in a void of stars.

“I’ll be gone at sunrise.” Luz cracked the silence of the last few hours.

“Aww, I was still hoping for friend-fast~” Gus dejectedly huffed.

The other three gave the tiny wizard an odd look.

“It's like breakfast, but you have it with friends.” He casually elaborated.

It was Amity who laughed first, setting off a chain of giggles from all those present. Luz’s mirth faded the fastest

“I'm sorry guys.” She spoke somberly, with a smile. “I’d love to, but Eda says the gate is most stable during Solar Apexes, and, well, since I’ll be bringing magic-stuff though, it's safer this way.”

“Don't worry about it.” Willow reasuredly placed a hand on Luz’s shoulder, making the human raise her eyes. “Besides, we still have the rest of the night!”

Luz could only smile, her furrowed brows softening. “Yeah. Yeah, we still got time.”

They spent the rest of the night talking.

About nothing and everything, watching the stars come crashing down from high above. The breeze was cool and smelt of moss. They drew runes in Luz’s notebook and filled the night with orbs of light and laughter.

Too soon the sky began to taint itself pink, the darkness receding beyond the horizon.

Their voices had faded long since, sprawled side-by side across the cooling shingles.

Amity sat up nuzzling her cold nose into the crook of her folded arms, turned away from the rest. Luz followed and then Willow. Gus stayed still, eyes closed and softly snoring, head pressed into Willow’s side.

“I hope Eda’ll spare us a couch.” Willow whispered, drawing a tiny circle, pointed down below, a thick vine rising from beyond their vision. She scooped up the tiny boy against herself and stepped out onto a giant leaf.

“Goodbye, Luz.” Willow smiled one last time, the plant gently lowering her and Gus out of sight.

Luz said nothing. They already knew.

And then there were two.

The brilliant moon seemed extra bright before dawn, stars fading from the night like fairy lights low on batteries.

“I'm glad I met you.” Amity’s voice was faint, barely audible over the soft rustle of the nightly woods, distant waves crashing against the sheer cliffs far below. “I know we were never really friends-friends but-”

Luz threw her hands around the green haired girl making her yelp and instinctively fight back, her mis-aimed swat just about missing the human’s cheek.

“We are. And I'm glad, Amity.” Luz tightened her hug, face pressed into the witch’s shoulder. “So, so glad we gave each other a chance.”

“All of you, you're all the best thing that’s happened to me and I won't ever forget you.” The human promised. “Okay?”

Amity swallowed hard.

“Okay.” She gingerly wrapped her hands around her companion’s back.

“Bring me the next Azura book if you ever come back.” The witch added, shoving Luz away and pushing her knuckle hard into her eye to hide away the mistiness.

“Only if we can nerd out about it.” Luz added. They shared a smile.

With no words left, Amity stood up and strode to the edge of the roof. Hooty rose up from the same unseen nothing and Amity stepped out onto him, glancing back for a moment before dipping out of sight.

And then there was one.

Until King popped out a chimney and rolled down the side of the roof, nearly tumbling off before Luz just barely grabbed him by the tail.

“Geez you guys sure are boring.” The tiny demon complained, casually nesting himself in Luz’s lap while she was busy rubbing her eyes and scooting back up to her original spot, still warm from her body heat.

“Were you seriously listening in this whole time?” Luz asked, more amused than anything.

“YEAH! I wanted some hot gossip!” King waved his tiny claws. “But you were all like snore and blagh and _boooooring!_ Also I kinda fell asleep halfway through.”

“Yeah well maybe you missed all the fun bits.” Luz cheekily offered.

The demon huffed in turn. He crossed his claws looking away, grumbling under his breath and wiggling back and forth in Luz’s lap like an uncomfortable pillow, while not giving her the chance to catch his eye.

“You're a good human, Luz.”

She smiled.

“Thanks.” She nuzzled her face into King's fuzzy belly, fingers slipping in the gap between his fur and his skull, giving scratchies and turning the fierce beast into a sack of warm jelly. “And you're a good demon.”

She stayed long enough for the first rays of dawn to warm her chilled limbs, taking in the light painting the landscape anew. She was unable to stare too long because it was still the sun and burned her eyes. With King scooped under her arm she returned to the ground floor. Pausing at the front door she wordlessly gave Hooty a chin scratch and for once the house said nothing. Luz slunk through the foyer, her friends sound asleep sprawled over the furniture. She gave them one last wave from the bottom of the staircase and ascended.

It was time.

Eda stood at the balcony to her room, gazing out towards the sunrise as well. Luz hesitated at the doorway, wearing her extra jacket, overstuffed bag slung over one shoulder, and her own staff clenched tight before her. King scurried past her and leaped into Eda’s nest eagerly awaiting the show.

“Sun’s already up, ya’ know.” Eda stated.

“Sorry.” Luz mumbled. “Had to see it one last time.”

“It’s fine, kid. Let's get this ball rolling shall we?” She snapped her fingers and the Owl Staff flung itself at her hand. There was a bit more prep work involved this time around.

“Either of you got anything else to say?” Eda asked, casually adjusting a circle projected on the floor.

The two ladies looked at King.

“Uh.” The demon’s eyes darted back and forth before settling on the resident human. “Well~ I~ just… maybe wanted to add that these few months with Luz have been the most fun and productive and best, nicest time I've had in my very long and very demonic and not at all cute, but instead fierce and violent and accomplished life, and that as demon king it's un-demonly of me to admit that- I'm- going- to- _miss-”_ His voice broke more with each following word.

 _“I'M SORRY I HAVE TO GO DO EVIL THINGS SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY NOW!”_ King yelled and sprinted out the door wailing, hands over his eyes.

Luz and Eda watched him go, before bursting into a fit of terse giggles.

Their voices faded to silence, naught left but the crackle of magic.

Luz traced her fingers along the engraved length of her staff pulled close, anxiety filling her stomach. Cold sweat nipped at the back of her neck as Eda pulled out a familiar key, pointing it towards the glowing circle in the middle of the floor, separating the two magicians. With the press of an eye and a sharp gale the dark door materialized into existence.

Eda let out a heavy sigh.

“Whelp, there it is.” She stated, her hand falling limply to her side.

They stared at the swirling door for a while.

Luz took a cautious step closer, as did her mentor, ‘till they stood side by side to witness the door creak open, revealing the swirling mass of pure energy and the afterimage of a familiar shack beyond.

Luz swallowed hard and gazed up at the woman.

“Eda, I can't even begin to, to say all the-the-the-” She clenched her staff ever tighter, hanging onto it for dear life, knuckles turning pale from the strain.

 _“Thank you.”_ Luz breathed. “For everything. For- This has been the best summer -no- part, _part_ of my life- I, I can't-”

Eda shoved a huge paper-wrapped package into Luz’s chest, momentarily winding the girl and stopping her mid-word.

“Can the speech, kid.” Eda waved the girl off in her typical, dismissive manner, voice ever so faintly wobbling. “And don't open this thing till you're home. Or it’ll explode or something, I don't know.”

All the words Luz had been so desperate to say, but never found the right courage or right moment finally bubbled up in the back of her throat till they finally became too much and she opened her mouth one final time.

 _“Yeah, great, perfect, all sorted, glad to be rid of you!”_ The old witch cut her off.

Without a second given to gather her bearings, Eda shoved Luz through the door, torrent of magic washing over the girl and stealing her breath away. The gate between worlds snapped shut at her heels, not fast enough for the human to miss Eda choking back tears.

Luz hit the ground hard, her staff clattering beside her and the package that had escaped her grip.

**“WAIT!”**

The human stumbled to her feet and leaped at the rip in spacetime, but by the time her hands reached where the door had stood it’d long since been too late, and the girl slammed her face into the floorboards a second time.

She laid there motionless for a long time, among the dust and junk and ruins, her tears washing away the years of grime beneath her.

Her house wasn't far from the ruined one in the woods. Quaint and familiar Luz stepped into the silence. She dropped her shoulder bag where she stood, laying her staff and mystery package on the tiny kitchen counter. Pulling out her cracked phone she shot off a quick message to her mom, for only the third time since she’d stumbled to the Isles.

_> I'm home_

So simple. So… normal.

The kitchen looked like a kitchen and the fridge kicked in with a humm. There was a faint scent of cooking and the windowsills were still lined with potted plants. The house wasn't going to complain to her, and weird things weren't going to jump at her from the cupboards, and Eda wasn't going to stalk the halls because she forgot her potion again.

Luz was going to miss it.

Her phone binged.

_< im so sorry i couldnt pick you up understaffed again leftovers in the freezer youll have to tell me how camp was tomorrow_  
_< kisses kisses kisses_

Luz dropped the device on the counter with a thud.

She pulled out a box of off-brand cookies buried under the pile of spare sponges in the sink cupboard where she’d hidden it months ago. With her two most treasured items stuffed under her arm she exited the kitchen and by the time she’d made it into her room half the box was gone and her face was smeared with crumbs and chocolate. She pushed the drawing-laden door open with an odd trepidation.

Brightly colored walls, star stickers and fairy lights, books and toys and crafts brimming from every open surface. Just as she had left it, sans the dirty clothes on the floor. It felt dark and small and dusty and lonely, morning sunlight dripping through the crack of her patterned curtains.

Luz tossed her snacks on the desk and hid her staff in the back of her closet. Just for now, she promised.

She collapsed backwards into her bed and sea of kitchy pillows and stuffed animals, mysterious package held out in the air above her. A reminder of her best life.

She almost couldn't bring herself to open it.

Almost.

The wrapper shreds flew off the side of her bed, handful of tiny items assaulting her from above, making her yelp.

With the assortment of crystals and knick knacks and feathers and souvenirs of magical origin brushed from her eyes she sat up crosslegged, a brick of a gift sitting in her lap.

It was a scrapbook.

Huge and brown and leathery with golden corners and swirls, and thick pages, it was bigger than any old family photo album her mother had shown her. She cracked it open and couldn't stop her jaw from dropping. Notes and drawings of incomplete runes, as to not set them off, all in Eda’s chicken-scratch of a handwriting. Endless research strewn together with King’s colorful drawings, and photos. So very many photos. Luz never imagined how or when Eda had taken them all.

It was them, all three, King hogging the camera at every other opportunity. It was Luz with her friends and Luz doing magic and Eda with funky sunglasses lounging in the sky with the islands behind her. It was the sights and the city and the wilderness and blurry monsters.

Luz blazed through the pages, soaking in every word despite her thoughts running too fast to process a single one. Just as she reached the end she came to a stop at the oddest thing about the whole book. There was a cutout of three pages near the very back, creating a small space in which another something pressed flat and wrapped in parchment rested.

Luz cautiously pulled it out, gently closing the book, determined to read it and reread more times than she’d ever read all of the Azura series put together. Commit every one of Eda’s scribblings to memory if she had to. She placed the book upon her pillow like the treasure it was.

Carefully peeling away the covering of her last gift the girl found her heart aching.

A simple golden and brass owl pendant, warm to the touch.

Only then Luz noticed the words on the inside of the crumpled wrapping.

> _i hate mushy stuff, you know that_
> 
> _so to save us the awkwardness and you crying and snotting all over my nice dress i wrote this letter so i don't have to listen to you try and grovel some mythic scheme of staying here forever. i won't let you, kid. you know that. and it's not because i don't want you here_
> 
> _your family is back in the human world. your mom misses you. every mom misses their kid, and it hurts so much worse than you could ever imagine. like that ache in your squishy gut turned up by a ~~hundred~~ billion. ouch._  
>  _and i know it might seem harsh and i know how much you're hurting but it’s going to be fine because it's always fine in the end. you're a tough incredible amazing girl and you're capable of so much and some sadness isn't going to keep you down for long. i should know, you're my apprentice after all._
> 
> _i’m proud of you, kid._
> 
> _so here’s a deal for you._
> 
> _that pendant, the owl, keep it close. it's a key. it's your key. but there's a caveat. it’ll open a door to the isles, to hooty, no matter where i end up traveling. but it’ll only do it for one day every week. it’ll take that long to rechange in your weird, magicless dimension, and once your day is up that’s where you’ll get pulled back into no matter what.  
>  _ _because i know you, kid. and i know you're going to want to lose yourself here ~~but~~ \- ~~it's~~ \- just trust me on this okay? when you're older, maybe you’ll convince me enough to extend your stay, but that's neither here nor there._
> 
> _so promise me one thing, kid, while you're there, while you’re home._
> 
> _be good. make friends, be kind, tell your mama you love her, she cares about you more than you know. be your best self._
> 
> _i’ll probably see you in six days, Luz_
> 
> _take care_
> 
> _~Eda  
>  ~~the owl lady~~_

It was signed with a scribbling of a smiling owl.

Luz pushed the letter tight into her chest, fist clenched around the pendant and pressed against her forehead, she curled into a tiny ball atop her blankets and cried.

They were happy tears.


End file.
